Medicare Enrolled
Dr. Christian Athanassious, M.D.
Orthopedic Surgery · Santa Rosa, CA
Practice pattern: Clinical Cardiology
— Primarily office-based clinical cardiology
Consulting-driven
Very High
DATA COVERAGE
Data in 4 of 4 federal sources
Measures public federal data availability — not provider quality
Informational, not a quality rating.
This page presents federal public records about Dr. Athanassious from CMS (NPPES, Open Payments, Medicare Provider Utilization, PECOS). It is not medical advice, an endorsement, or a judgment of clinical quality. Always consult the provider directly and a licensed clinician for medical decisions. Read methodology →
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What this data tells you about Dr. Athanassious
Dr. Christian Athanassious is an orthopedic surgery specialist in Santa Rosa, CA, with 17 years of NPI registration. Based on federal Medicare data, Dr. Athanassious performed 2,649 Medicare services across 2,090 unique beneficiaries.
Between the years covered by Open Payments, Dr. Athanassious received a total of $170,370 from 9 pharmaceutical and/or device companies across 368 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common in orthopedic surgery. The majority of payments are for consulting, which typically reflects recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Patients may wish to discuss these relationships with their provider.
The Data Coverage level for Dr. Athanassious is Very High — reflecting how much public federal data is available about this provider. Patients are encouraged to use this data as one of several factors when choosing a healthcare provider.
✓ 17 years in practice
▲ Top 23% volume in CA
$170,370 industry payments
Medicare Practice Summary
Medicare Utilization ↗2,649
Medicare services
Top 23% in CA for orthopedic surgery
2,090
Unique beneficiaries
$149
Avg. Medicare payment
Medicare patients only (65+ / disabled) · How to read this →
~156 Medicare services per year of practice
Top procedures by volume
Ranked by number of services performed for Medicare patients. Avg. submitted charge is what the provider billed; avg. Medicare payment is what CMS paid.
| Procedure | Volume | Avg. paid | Avg. submitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office visit, established patient (30-39 min) A follow-up office visit for an existing patient lasting between 30 and 39 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
345 | $104 | $306 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, minimum of 4 views An X-ray imaging test of the lower back and sacrum using at least four different angles to visualize the bones and joints. |
303 | $46 | $140 |
| Office visit, established patient (20-29 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting between 20 and 29 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
249 | $71 | $211 |
| Physical therapy exercise, per 15 min A therapy session using exercises to improve strength, endurance, range of motion, and flexibility. Each 15-minute unit is billed separately. |
166 | $21 | $90 |
| X-ray of lower and sacral spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test that captures 2 to 3 views of the lower back and sacral spine to visualize the bones and joints in this area. |
147 | $34 | $110 |
| New patient office visit (45-59 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 45 and 59 minutes. This code covers the total time spent by the physician or qualified healthcare professional on the date of the encounter. |
132 | $137 | $455 |
| Spine fusion with cage or mesh device insertion A surgical procedure to fuse spine bones by inserting a cage or mesh device into the disc space. |
122 | $181 | $636 |
| Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 40 mg | 110 | $6 | $34 |
| Office visit, established patient, complex (40-54 min) An office or outpatient visit for an existing patient lasting between 40 and 54 minutes. This level of service is determined by the total time spent on the date of the encounter. |
96 | $146 | $405 |
| Trigger point injection, 3 or more muscles Injection of medication into three or more specific muscle trigger points to relieve pain. |
83 | $52 | $180 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 2-3 views An X-ray imaging test of the upper spine using two to three different angles to visualize the bones and structures. |
79 | $35 | $110 |
| Manual therapy (hands-on treatment), per 15 min | 77 | $17 | $80 |
| Electrical stimulation therapy Application of electrical stimulation to one or more body areas as part of a therapy plan. This procedure is used for indications other than wound care. |
72 | $7 | $45 |
| Harvest of bone fragment for spine bone graft A surgical procedure to remove a piece of bone from the patient's body to be used as a graft during spine surgery. |
71 | $134 | $450 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 2-3 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize the front of two to three spinal segments. |
70 | $515 | $1,792 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 4-5 views An X-ray imaging test of the upper spine using 4 to 5 different views to visualize the bones and structures in that area. |
63 | $47 | $150 |
| New patient office visit (30-44 min) An initial office visit for a new patient lasting between 30 and 44 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter falls within this range. |
61 | $80 | $300 |
| Spinal fusion and bone/disc removal, 1 disc A surgical procedure involving the fusion of lower spine bones and the partial removal of a spine bone or disc through the back. |
51 | $897 | $3,530 |
| Neuromuscular re-education therapy, per 15 min A therapy procedure designed to re-educate the functional connection between the brain, nerves, and muscles. It is billed in 15-minute increments. |
37 | $24 | $100 |
| Lumbar spine fusion, 1 level, lateral approach A surgical procedure to join two or more vertebrae in the lower spine using a bone graft. The surgery is performed from the side and involves removing part of the disc between the bones. |
33 | $1,368 | $4,510 |
| Additional lumbar spine fusion and bone/disc removal This procedure involves fusing additional vertebrae in the lower back and partially removing bone or disc material through an incision in the back. |
29 | $253 | $850 |
| Placement of stabilizing device to back of 1 spine bone in neck A procedure involving the placement of a stabilizing device on the back of a single vertebra in the neck. |
28 | $603 | $2,020 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, 1 segment A surgical procedure involving the partial removal of a bone segment in the spine to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. This is performed on a single spinal segment. |
27 | $901 | $2,946 |
| Fusion of upper spine bone with removal of disc and release of spinal cord or nerve, each additional disc | 21 | $314 | $1,026 |
| Anterior lumbar interbody fusion with partial disc removal A surgical procedure to fuse the lower spine bones by accessing the area through the abdomen and partially removing a spinal disc. |
21 | $392 | $3,101 |
| Spinal stabilization device placement, 3-6 segments Surgical placement of a device to stabilize three to six vertebrae in the back. |
21 | $606 | $2,025 |
| Office visit, established patient (10-19 min) An office visit for an existing patient lasting 10 to 19 minutes. The visit involves medical evaluation and management of the patient's condition. |
20 | $42 | $130 |
| Spinal fusion with disc removal and nerve release, 1 disc This surgery connects two or more vertebrae in the upper spine to stabilize the area. It involves removing a damaged disc and relieving pressure on the spinal cord or nerve. |
18 | $1,385 | $4,555 |
| Partial removal of spine bone with nerve release, each additional segment This procedure involves the partial removal of spinal bone to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. It is billed for each additional spinal segment treated beyond the initial segment. |
17 | $167 | $560 |
| Application of hot wax bath | 15 | $3 | $20 |
| Self-care/home management training, per 15 min Instruction provided to help patients manage their own care or daily activities at home. The service is billed in 15-minute increments. |
15 | $26 | $100 |
| X-ray of upper spine, 6 or more views An X-ray imaging test of the upper spine using six or more separate views to capture detailed images of the bones and structures in that area. |
14 | $57 | $175 |
| X-ray of middle spine, 2 views An X-ray imaging test that produces two views of the middle section of the spine to visualize the bones and joints. |
13 | $30 | $95 |
| Spinal fusion, additional segment Surgical joining of an additional vertebra in the middle or lower spine through a side approach, involving partial disc removal. |
12 | $287 | $965 |
| New patient office visit, 15-29 minutes An initial office visit for a new patient lasting 15 to 29 minutes. This code is used when the total time spent on the date of the encounter meets this duration threshold. |
11 | $58 | $215 |
How to read this data: This reflects Medicare patients only (typically 65+). Payment amounts are what Medicare paid the provider, not your out-of-pocket cost. A higher procedure volume generally indicates more experience with that procedure.
11.6% high complexity
7.3% medium
81.1% routine
Industry Payment Transparency
Open Payments through 2024 ↗$170,370
Total received (2018-2024)
Avg $24,339/year across 7 years
Top 8% in CA for orthopedic surgery
A higher payment rank reflects disclosed industry relationships (consulting, research, speaking) common among subspecialists — not wrongdoing.
9
Companies
368
Individual payments
All payments are legal and publicly reported · Not evidence of wrongdoing · How to interpret →
Payment profile
Industry payments classified by relationship type. Not all payments are equal — research and consulting reflect different relationships than speaking programs or meals.
Consulting
Expert advisory fees, typically reflecting recognized clinical expertise
$165,667 (97.2%)
Speaking / Promotional
Speaker programs, honoraria, and industry-sponsored educational events
$4,190 (2.5%)
Meals & Travel
Food, beverages, travel, and lodging — typically low-value
$514 (0.3%)
Payment trend by year
Annual totals from pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
2024
$27,708
2023
$61,687
2022
$15,347
2021
$37,286
2020
$9,084
2019
$14,839
2018
$4,419
Payments by company (2024)
Consulting
Speaking
Meals & Travel
Research
Globus Medical, Inc.
$27,617
Ethicon US, LLC
$91
Top 3 companies account for 100.0% of 2024 payments
All-time payments by company (2018-2024) ›
NuVasive, Inc.
$140,240
Globus Medical, Inc.
$27,617
Stryker Corporation
$2,253
Ethicon US, LLC
$91
DePuy Synthes Sales Inc.
$58
Electronic Waveform Lab, Inc.
$48
Abbott Laboratories
$37
SI-BONE, Inc.
$14
Alphatec Spine, Inc
$12
Top 3 companies account for 99.8% of all-time payments
Associated products mentioned in payments ›
ACP · AFFIRM · ALIF · ALIF Instruments (Universal) · AVIATOR · AttraX · BASE · Bendini · Brigade · COHERE · CoRoent · ELSA · Excelsius3D Imaging System · ExcelsiusGPS Robotic Navigation System · FormaGraft · Gradient · Halo Buttress Plate · Hedron A · Hedron IA · LessRay · MARS Anterior Retractor · MaXcess · Modulus · NIAGARA LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM · NVM5 · NuVasive Power · Nuvaline/NuvaMap O.R. · Osteocel · PLIF · POROUS TI · PROCLAIM · Preserve ALIF · Propel · Pulse · QUARTEX · RELINE · SURGIFLO Hemostatic Matrix · Simplify Cervical Artificial Disc · TLIF · TLX · TRITANIUM · VIPER · VersaTie · X-CORE · X-Core Mini · XLIF · iFuse Implant · iGA
Should you be concerned? Payments from pharmaceutical and device companies are legal and common — 57% of U.S. physicians receive at least one. They often reflect legitimate consulting, research, or education. What matters is whether a recommended drug or device appears in your doctor's payment records. If so, consider asking your doctor about it. How to interpret this data →
The majority of payments (97%) are consulting fees, which typically reflect recognized clinical expertise sought by manufacturers. Total industry engagement is in the top 8% for orthopedic surgery in CA.
Geographic Context
Orthopedic surgeons within 10 mi
45
Per 100K population
9.3
County median income
$102,840
Nearest hospital
PROVIDENCE SANTA ROSA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
0.0 mi
0.0 mi
Data Sources
| Provider Registry | ✓ NPPES | Weekly updates |
| Medicare Enrollment | ✓ PECOS | Monthly updates |
| Practice Data | ✓ Medicare Util. | Annual (CY lag) |
| Industry Payments | ✓ Open Payments | CY 2024 |
| Disciplinary History | — Not public | N/A |
This provider has data in 4 of 4 available federal datasets, with a Data Coverage level of Very High. This reflects how much public data is available about a provider. How we calculate this →
Summary
Dr. Athanassious is a clinical cardiology specialist, with above-average Medicare volume (top 23% in CA), with consulting-driven industry engagement in the top 8% of CA peers, with 17 years of NPI registration.
This summary is auto-generated from federal data, describing data availability and patterns. Read our methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dr. Athanassious experienced with office visit, established patient (30-39 min)?
Based on Medicare claims data, Dr. Athanassious performed 345 office visit, established patient (30-39 min) services. Research suggests that higher procedure volume is often associated with better outcomes, particularly for complex procedures. Note that Medicare data only captures patients aged 65 and older, so the total practice volume across all patients is likely higher.
Does Dr. Athanassious receive payments from pharmaceutical companies?
Yes. Dr. Athanassious received a total of $170,370 from 9 companies across 368 individual payments. These payments are legal, publicly disclosed under the federal Sunshine Act, and common among physicians — 57% of all U.S. physicians receive at least one industry payment. Patients may wish to ask their doctor about these relationships, especially if a recommended drug or device appears in the payment records.
How do Dr. Athanassious's costs compare to other orthopedic surgeons in Santa Rosa?
Dr. Athanassious's average Medicare payment per service is $149. Note that these figures represent what Medicare pays, not your out-of-pocket cost, which depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. Procedure-level data above shows both what was submitted and what Medicare paid for each service type.
What does Data Coverage mean?
Data Coverage (currently Very High for Dr. Athanassious) measures how much public federal data is available about a provider. It is not a quality rating. A "Very High" or "High" level means the provider has data across multiple federal sources (NPPES, PECOS, Medicare Utilization, Open Payments), indicating a long track record of practice, Medicare participation, and industry disclosure. A "Low" or "Moderate" level may simply mean the provider is newer, does not see Medicare patients, or has not received any industry payments — none of which are inherently negative. Read our full methodology →
Is this data up to date?
Each data source has its own update cycle. Provider registry data (NPPES) is updated weekly. Medicare enrollment (PECOS) is updated monthly. Medicare practice data has a ~2 year lag — the most recent available is typically 2 years prior. Industry payment data (Open Payments) is published annually, usually in June, covering the prior calendar year. We display the data date prominently on each section so you always know how current it is. See our data freshness policy →
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About this page
All data on this page is sourced verbatim from public federal records published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): NPPES ↗, Open Payments ↗, Medicare Provider Utilization ↗, and PECOS. Publication is mandated by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (§6002 ACA, 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7h) and the Freedom of Information Act.
This page is not medical advice, an endorsement, a recommendation, or a quality rating. Data Coverage reflects data completeness — how much federal information exists for this provider — not clinical performance, patient outcomes, or quality of care. Always verify information directly with the provider and consult a licensed clinician before making medical decisions.
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